Carly Fiorina and Senator Lindsey Graham Call For 9/11 Terrorist Trials To Be Held In Military Commissions

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – During a press conference at San Francisco International Airport, U.S. Senate candidate Carly Fiorina and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today renewed their call for the trials of the September 11 terrorists to be held in military commissions rather than in civilian court. They also called on Senator Barbara Boxer to reverse her vote and sign on as a co-sponsor of Senator Graham’s bipartisan legislation to cut off funding for holding the 9/11 trials in civilian court.

“The crimes perpetrated against the American people on 9/11 were coordinated and premeditated acts of war. Applying the protections our Constitution provides American citizens to these enemy combatants is as wrong-headed as it is unnecessary,” said Fiorina. “In the absence of action to move the trials from civilian court to military commissions, Senator Graham has proposed bipartisan legislation to do the next best thing by blocking financing for holding the trials in our court system. I support this legislation, and I certainly hope – but do not expect – Senator Boxer to join Senator Graham in this effort.”

Fiorina has consistently urged the federal government to respect the wishes, safety and security of the American people by trying suspected terrorists in military commissions instead of in civilian courts.

“I believe it is inappropriate to give the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks the same constitutional rights as an American citizen,” said Senator Graham. “It has never been done in the history of warfare, and now is not the time to start. Military commissions are the proper venue for the trial of KSM and the other 9/11 conspirators. While she has not been supportive in the past, today I ask Senator Boxer to join me and the bipartisan group of 21 of our colleagues in co-sponsoring legislation to cut off funding for these trials in civilian court. It is the right thing to do for the security of our nation.”

In Washington, Senator Graham has led the effort to remove the 9/11 trials from civilian court. Earlier this month, he and 21 other senators introduced bipartisan legislation that would cut off funding for the trials of the 9/11 conspirators in civilian court. Last weekend, Senator Graham also delivered the national Republican address on this subject.